‘Dancing with the Stars: Guilty Pleasures’: TV Recap

“DWTS” doesn’t have any horses or bayonets in this second night of guilty-pleasure dances, but it does feature tributes to a boat, a fairy tale, an “X-Factor” judge and a funk master. The music of the No. 1 YouTube sensation also makes an appearance this evening in the group dance.

“DWTS” has its own moment trending on YouTube and Twitter: Carrie Ann’s tumble from a chair. On Monday, she was so overcome with delirium after Gilles Marini and Peta Murgatroyd’s rumba that she declared “Let the baby making begin!” – and then fell off the edge of her chair to the ground. Will any of Tuesday’s dances prompt such a display of ecstasy? Will “Gangnam Style” top the tight, joyful team dance from Monday night, which featured the stars of this set of individual routines?

Monday also marked Melissa Rycroft’s return to the ballroom after she suffered a herniated disc during rehearsals the day before. Helped by painkillers, Melissa performed admirably in the “Call Me Maybe” freestyle. Now, it’s just Melissa and partner Tony Dovolani on the floor, for a tango to “Toxic.” Melissa gleefully admits to liking Britney, and Tony is delighted because “Toxic” actually is a tango and doesn’t require the show to stretch a song/routine pairing. Then they remember Melissa never did a tango in Season 8, and she has problems grasping the choreography. She cries in frustration, and Tony worries he has made the dance too difficult. Melissa plays Tony’s mad-scientist creation come to life. This intro has a point – unlike, say, some of the ones the Chmerkovskiys have choreographed over the years – and Melissa has a gorgeous full-leg extension on the stairs. She’s not the perky cheerleader and morning-show correspondent; she is cold. Melissa’s neck injury does seem to be impeding her somewhat: For as much as she has a grasp on the character and feel of the dance, she seems a tad careful bordering on cautious. The judges pick up on this while applauding her crispness and grit. Score: 27 (Carrie Ann 9, Len 9, Bruno 9).

Derek Hough has put Shawn Johnson’s gymnastics skills to good use the past three weeks. Now, though, they slow it down with a rumba to “My Heart Will Go On.” When Shawn danced the rumba in Season 8 with Mark Ballas, she was only 17 years old, so he had to create a chaste, nonsexy version. Shawn knows this dance represents weakness for her because she’s not one to show emotion. Derek coaches more than choreographs, with solid advice: If you have only a minute and a half with someone who’s gone, you wouldn’t walk slowly to them; you would rush to embrace them. He decides to concentrate on the romantic rather than the sensual. Shawn listens to Derek and shows the audience shapes and stylings we haven’t seen from her before. Her splits give the petite gymnast the illusion of length, and her spins show sensuality. She does, in fact, run to Derek, and he catches her – but Carrie Ann deems this a lift and says she must mark down for it. (“By the way, tonight Carrie Ann plays the iceberg,” host Tom Bergeron says.) She likes Shawn’s vulnerability in spite of this. Len’s comments also suggest he will be grading low, name-checking “Great Expectations” and then “Bleak House,” because this rumba has no hip action. He still thinks it’s a lovely number, though. Bruno loves it, with no “however” attached. Score: 27 (Carrie Ann 9, Len 8, Bruno 10).

No person was happier to leave last week behind than Karina Smirnoff, who hated everything about a hip-hop dance, from choreographing to the fall she took while dancing with Apolo Anton Ohno. This week, Apolo and Karina continue their time in old-school dance heaven, but with a traditional Latin dance: “Give It to Me Baby,” by Rick James, as a samba. Apolo had great luck with the samba in Season 4 with Julianne Hough; it was his breakthrough routine. Karina wants this to be their comeback, and she’s focusing on speed and samba rolls. The latter garner applause when done well, Karina says, and she should know: She and J.R. Martinez did amazing samba rolls during their Season 13 victory run. For all the talk of fast, this version of “Give It to Me Baby” feels a little slowed down. But ooh, where did this grown and sexy Apolo come from? He’s in a pimp-style leopard-print polyester shirt and white pants, singing along to the chorus and thrusting his hips at the tartily attired Karina. We are a long way from Season 4. (“When I hear [the song], this is the type of shirt I feel like I should own: leopard print, old school,” Apolo tells co-host Brooke Burke Charvet backstage.) He knows how to move across the entire floor, and he has great leg work. All that said, this isn’t quite as dynamic as his original samba, and the past two nights, Apolo has seemed somewhat reserved. Carrie Ann thinks that Apolo hasn’t had his breakthrough yet and that he and Karina should work on their chemistry. (How does one do this?) Len declares he’s in the home for the bewildered because he really enjoyed the full-on and full-of-rhythm samba. Score: 27 (Carrie Ann 8.5, Len 9.5, Bruno 9).

Like Shawn, Sabrina Bryan is a dynamo, with even more attack than the gymnast. She’s never been known as a nuanced, graceful dancer, so it’s a surprise to see she will be dancing a waltz with Louis Van Amstel. What’s more, the former Disney girl (“The Cheetah Girls” appeared on the Disney Channel) will dance to a song from arguably the ultimate classic princess movie: “So This Is Love,” from “Cinderella.” (I’m more a modern-princess fan. Give me Belle any day.) Sabrina says she loves the idea of being a princess, though perhaps cursing doesn’t personify that image, she admits after a screw-up. Louis wants to introduce other layers to Sabrina’s usually fast and furious dancing: vulnerability, beauty, sensitivity and softness. The routine is adorable and fresh and delightful, with Sabrina in the blue gown and “glass slippers” (that look more satin than glass) and Louis as Prince Charming. She sweeps across the floor, but her shoulders seem a bit high. Sabrina smiles brightly through the whole routine, except that note doesn’t quite strike vulnerability in the way Shawn’s rumba did. Carrie Ann picks up on this – “I don’t think you quite got to vulnerability” – but she doesn’t see that as a bad thing because Sabrina did personify elegance. Bruno notes the high shoulders while enjoying the magic ride he went on, and Len likes the story. Score: 29 (Carrie Ann 10 – well, she did say to expect a happy ending), Len 9.5, Bruno 9.5. Louis didn’t expect that 10 from Carrie Ann.

Next, the dance floor goes Korean with “Gangnam Style,” randomly selected last week by Gilles and Peta. They’re joined by Kelly Monaco and Val Chmerkovskiy, Kirstie Alley and Maksim Chmerkovskiy, and Emmitt Smith and Cheryl Burke. Gilles tries to take control of things by suggesting they save the moves from the video for later in the routine, but Maks goes alpha male and overrules him. Earlier, we hear Cheryl ask about choreography, and the video we see suggests Maks takes that over. Kelly laughs about this being a train wreck. Gilles knows the other team will bring the lifts, so he wants to bring the fun. That they try to do, coming out in brightly colored suits; the women all have black bob wigs. For the individual routines, each couple strips and has some fun. Kirstie is clearly the weak link, behind the beat and awkward in her dismount. Emmitt and Cheryl get into the spirit and show their easy chemistry. Kelly has more vibrance than she did in her solo number. Gilles … is wearing almost nothing, only his underwear. He’s also making goofy, un-Gilles-like faces and peeking at Peta’s crotch. A little too skeevy. Carrie Ann declares it a hot mess. Bruno has Gilles take off his towel, revealing white skimpy boxers. (“OK, Gilles is looking for clothes,” Brooke says, laughing, as the couples come to see her afterward.) Len knows it wasn’t tidy, but he enjoyed the craziness. Score: 27 (all 9s).

Bristol Palin brought out “Redneck Woman” a month too soon: “DWTS” is going country next week. The eight couples also will do a group dance. No one gets eliminated this week, but two couples depart next Tuesday. Readers, now that Week 5 is complete, what are your thoughts?

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